LANE RANGER: Query highlights VDOT’s lack of funding

By the Lane Ranger
Published: April 21, 2008

Dear Lane Ranger: Does the Virginia Department of Transportation have plans to do anything about the traffic pattern coming off of the southbound lanes of Interstate 95 onto Va. 123?

At rush hour it’s a dangerous situation for those of us who need to turn onto Old Bridge Road.

From the off ramp you immediately have to cross over several lanes of traffic in order to make it the left turn lanes for Old Bridge.

It seems to me they could figure some sort of a merge with the traffic from the HOV lanes and use that signal.
M. Gannon,
Woodbridge

Dear M.: VDOT’s area manager Jerry Pauley said they haven’t considered this suggestion before, but in this columnist’s opinion it’s worth a look.

Pauley said they can give it that, but it’s going to take a while to figure out what could be done and who would potentially pay for it — the feds or the state.

And let’s just assume that if VDOT ends up being the payee, it won’t get done in our lifetimes.

See, soon VDOT will barely have enough money to pay for maintenance, let alone new construction, because the Virginia General Assembly hasn’t given it a way to fund projects in more than 20 years. Now, don’t get confused. They tried to bring in a few hundred million to Northern Virginia last year. But because lawmakers pushed the burden of taxing on the back of an unelected agency, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled the taxes on car repairs and house sales unconstitutional.

We’re back to square one and it’s a pretty frightening situation.

Sure your question wasn’t seeking an answer steeped in state politics, but the bottom line is, that’s where the money lies.

And without money, no project improving safety or otherwise is going to see fruition until lawmakers buck up and give VDOT some cash.

In his response to your question, Pauley promised to start the process of finding out if the ramps at Va. 123 are under state or federal purview.

“I see a lot of questions that will need to be answered,” he wrote in his e-mail.

One of those questions is whether or not the project, if initiated, would be placed on the state’s six-year plan for construction.

That plan is approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board annually.

Well guess what?

There is a CTB hearing May 14 in case you want to lobby your cause.

But keep in mind, VDOT is slashing projects from that plan as you read this.

There just isn’t enough money.

P.S. As part of the fourth lane widening project on Interstate 95, the Va. 123 ramp is going to gain another lane after the highway crosses the Occoquan River.

Please send questions or comments on roads, rail and transit to: Lane Ranger, c/o Potomac News, P.O. Box 2470, Woodbridge, VA 22195; e-mail: